Summary

Psychosis is a neurological syndrome associated with abnormal functioning of the frontal and temporal lobes and the dopaminergic projections to these areas. Symptoms develop when a threshold level of damage is reached or changes occur in these areas of the brain. People with psychosis may experience hallucinations, delusions, and disorganised thoughts and actions and may have personality changes. Psychosis can be due to primary disorders or may have secondary causes.
[1]American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.
Primary psychotic disorders include schizophrenia, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, and brief psychotic disorder. Secondary psychosis has many causes, including psychoactive drugs and general medical conditions. It may also accompany another psychiatric condition.

Disclosures

Disclosures

DOP has served as a consultant on antipsychotic medications for Genetech, Janssen, Lundbeck, Otsuka and Sunovion. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received compensation for research and consulting work by DOP from Genetech, the NIH, Research Triangle Institute, the State of North Carolina; the university has also been awarded a patent for isolation of pluripotent stem cells from human tissues, with Diana Perkins listed as one of the inventors. DOP has received royalties for the textbook, Schizophrenia, published by the American Psychiatric Association Press.